Hilda Hopkins, For Queen And Country #5

By Vivienne Fagan

'Hilda Hopkins, For queen And Country', is the fifth Hilda Hopkins machine knitting serial murder thriller in a series that is growing in popularity wherever machine knitters,a nd serial killing pensioner ladies, get together. This time Hilda narrowly escapes a hit team, bumps off an assassin while excaping to the country then has to evade capture once again after the edge of the seat climax hits its apogee.

'Classic Hopkins' says the Clapford Machine Knitting Society.
'My kind of anti-heroine', Wormwood Scrubs Ladies Prison Literary Society.

• Language: English
• Publisher: StreetWise Publications
• Release date: Oct 14, 2011
• ISBN: 9781466082373

Vivienne Fagan

Vivienne Fagan lives in London and is a retired Civil Servant and former serving member of the Intelligence Corps. She is an award winning machine knitter and mother of three who knows just how to do away with Hilda's next victims!

Book preview

Hilda Hopkins, For Queen And Country

A Hilda Hopkins Crime Thriller

Vivienne Fagan

StreetWise Publications

Published by StreetWise Publications

Suite 1/22 Waikanda Cres, Whalan, NSW 2770 Australia

All Rights Reserved.

http://streetwiseworldpublications.info

http://lulu.com/spotlight/perrygamsby

‘’Hilda Hopkins, For Queen And Country’ first published 2011

Copyright Vivienne Fagan 2011

Fagan, Vivienne 1948-

Cover Illustration by Jamie-Lee Turnbull

ISBN

Other Hilda Hopkins Crime Thrillers:

‘Murder, She Knit’ #1

‘Bed And Burial’ #2

‘Domi Knit Rix’ #3

M.I. Knits’ #4

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Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is coincidental and unintentional. The publisher, author and their officers and assigns assume no responsibility for the misuse of wool or knitting machines. No yarn was harmed in the writing of this story.

Chapter 1

Hilda Hopkins, in the Inner Sanctum? Are you sure, my dear chap, asked Lt Colonel Adlard, sitting back in his seat and looking across the desk at Sir Ambrose Possnet-Meysey.

She does know rather a lot about the situation already, Jeremy, replied Sir Ambrose, don’t forget that it was she who rumbled Henry Romsey, and if he hadn’t died when he did, we would have been looking at our own demises.

Yes, well, I’ll grant you that, conceded Adlard, but she is only a basic grade. And she’s also acting as Housekeeper at your place isn’t she? How is that working out?

Very well actually. The place is gleaming. Smells nice too. She has this thing about vinegar and fresh lemons, prefers them to stuff you buy in the supermarket. Mrs Megson still comes in to do the cooking. Hilda does a nice cup of tea, and excellent boiled eggs and soldiers, but that’s about it in the culinary department. I shudder to think what she might produce for a dinner party. She would probably kill the lot of us off, and not deliberately either! Talking of dinner, I’m having a few people round for a meal a week on Saturday, and I’d be pleased if you and your good lady could toddle along?

Well after that description, so long as you can assure me it will be the Megsons working in the food department, we would be delighted to come!

Sir Ambrose looked at the third member of their little meeting.

How about you, Philip, would you be free a week on Saturday?

Philip Mortimer nodded his head,

Certainly Sir Ambrose, that would be very nice.

Sir Ambrose grinned at the young Major.

Do you have a young lady, Philip, you’re not married I believe?

Engaged.

Then do bring your fiancée along if she is free.

How much would you tell Hopkins, Woolley, what name is she using now? asked Adlard.

I think for security we will stick to her alias of Bernhilda Woolley, replied Sir Ambrose, the police still have an open case on her as Hilda Hopkins for all those murders she committed before she came into our orbit.

He paused, and let his mind run over some of Hilda’s victims starting with the six paying guests from her home; the guests and owner who she had polished off at the Traveller’s Rest Guest House, and the last batch who had arrived in goods trucks at destinations all over the country while she had been Maid to a Madame.

She already knows a fair bit. She found out that Major Romsey was a big-wig in PIE, Patriotism In England, and I gather that she has seen the membership list. Not that everyone is on there of course, we don’t know who the big Boss is, other than he is known as the PIE-Man, and I do wonder if there are more members of Romsey’s seniority in the organisation. A lot of it seems to be cellular, in that only one member in a cell has access to one member of another cell. All well and good from their position of course, but it makes it very difficult from our point of view.

What’s happening about the people we do know about, the ones on the List? asked Major Mortimer, are they all going to be the subject of XPD’s?

It would be good to get at the root of the trouble and do away with them all, agreed Sir Ambrose, but it can’t be done. Too many well known names. The Prime Minister’s Office, and the Leaders of the Opposition Parties have been given names of MPs who appeared on there, and they have been asked to have a quiet word. There may be some resignations, but slowly, we don’t want too many bye-elections at one time, the general public aren’t stupid, they would sense that something was going on. Same with these so-called celebrities. They will have the error of their ways pointed out to them, again quietly and discreetly. But anyone who does turn a deaf ear to advice might just meet with an unfortunate accident. I’m sure the lesson will be learnt quickly.

Chapter 2

Sir Ambrose looked across his desk at the dowdy elderly woman sitting opposite to him.

You have done very well, Hilda, exceptionally well indeed in fact, I for one had no idea of the depth of Henry Romsey’s treachery until now.

I never liked him, Sir Ambrose, replied Hilda, even before I found out what he was. And he tried to have me killed! I didn’t like that.

She looked him in the eye, malevolence rolling off her. Sir Ambrose could barely suppress a shudder.

Yes indeed. Well I have to report to the Prime Minister about this business.

Ooh, at Downing Street?

No, we are meeting at a er…. discreet place in the country, a small country house, a safe house. I’ve spoken to Jeremy Adlard and Philip Mortimer, and we would like you to be there. You are in at the sharp end, you’ve seen the membership list that was in Henry Romsey’s possession. I may tell you at this point that that is not the full membership of PIE, just the cellular structure of one county. You can appreciate I think, Hilda, from that just how large this organisation is?

Hilda was taken aback. She was a criminal on the run, and here she was being invited to a meeting with the Prime Minister!

I will introduce you as my Personal Assistant, continued Sir Ambrose, I don’t suppose you do shorthand?

I used to do Dutton speed words, replied Hilda, still in a daze, it’s a sort of speed writing. I took Shorthand typing lessons when I was at the Grammar, but I could never get those thick and thin lines right.

Can you still do it?

I suppose so; it will probably come back as I go along.

"Draw a shorthand pad from Stores. You’ll only be taking notes at the meeting anyway, I won’t need a